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After announcing slightly under par financials, Apple has added more ways it can be paid for apps, though it also bumped the minimum freight to get one across Europe. The new lowest price users in France, Germany, Italy and other nations "over there" can pay for an app is now €0.89, a euro-dime bump from before -- apparently due to the weak euro and local tax hikes. On the other hand, Cupertino also added more currencies accepted at its store: South African Rand, Turkish Lira, Russian Rubles, Indian Rupees, Isreali New Shekel's, Saudi Arabian Riyal, Indonesian Rupish and UAE Dirham can all now be used to pay. Apple has tinkered with its prices before in varying amounts overseas depending on the nation, so you may want to check your own country's App Store for the news -- bad or good.

If you're a football fan, then we don't have to tell you that college football kicks off this evening. But, perhaps, you have yet to find the perfect app for your smart phone or tablet to keep you informed during the fifteen solid hours of football this Saturday. ESPN hopes that its new ESPN College Football App will be the perfect companion on game day, and all year round for that matter, by delivering up to the minute news, stats and even video clips. The app ties in with your ESPN.com account for easy access to your favorite teams and of course will alert you to scores and other things, like potential upsets. It'll even give you quick access to the WatchESPN app so you can check out a game on your second screen. Add in the fact that this app is free, and we don't see any reason a football fan wouldn't head to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and download it right now.

The Viewdini streaming metasearch service launched a few months ago for Verizon's 4G LTE-laden Android hardware, and now it's finally available on iDevices. While the droid app is exclusive to those with a 4G plan on Big Red's network, anything running iOS 4.3 and up can now make use of Viewdini, independently of carrier ties. As the screenshots above show, you're also good to go on 3G, although you better watch that data allowance to avoid any nasty surprises. Interestingly, the iOS version currently only digs through the catalogues of 11 content providers compared with 18 on the Android version, but you're still getting access to various big names like ABC, Crackle, Hulu Plus, Netflix and Verizon's own video service. More providers should be added to the list soon, and if you'd like to give Viewdini a try, it's available at the App Store now.

You could call it technological baptism of sorts... just not the kind Apple would want. A Russian scam app known as Find and Call managed to hit the App Store and create havoc for those who dared a download, making it the first non-experimental malware to hit iOS without first needing a jailbreak. As Kaspersky found out, it wasn't just scamware, but a trojan: the title would swipe the contacts after asking permission, send them to a remote server behind the scenes and text spam the daylights out of any phone number in that list. Thankfully, Apple has already yanked the app quickly and explained to The Loop that the app was pulled for violating App Store policies. We'd still like to know just why the app got there in the first place, but we'd also caution against delighting in any schadenfreude if you're of the Android persuasion. The app snuck through to Google Play as well, and Kaspersky is keen to remind us that Android trojans are "nothing new;" the real solution to malware is to watch out for fishy-looking apps, no matter what platform you're using.

Google during its I/O keynote hit a symbolic milestone: it now has 600,000 apps in the Google Play Store. As well, the store is clearly hitting a brisk pace in adoption, with 1.5 billion downloads every month and 20 billion since Android began. Free apps are available in 190 countries, with paid apps in 132. The app and download counts stack up fairly well to Apple's own claims, although not universally: it's just short of the App Store's 650,000 apps, but Apple can still point to 30 billion total downloads. Google also hasn't said how many apps are explicitly tablet-friendly versus 225,000 iPad-oriented apps. Either way, Google can say that it has largely erased the app quantity deficit, and that's no mean feat.

Amazon has been offering a free app of the day for a while now, but that offer is good for Android users only. Well, Apple seems to have caught on to the fact that iOS users like to save money too, as it's debuting a "free app of the week" offer. Cupertino kicked off the new promotion yesterday via Twitter, where it announced that the game Cut the Rope: Experiments will be the first free download. Click on through to the source link, and you'll see that the Appstore indeed lists the title as "free for a limited time."

Android and PlayStation Vita owners have felt the Music Unlimited love on their respective devices for quite some time now, but the Spotify / MOG / Rdio competitor has finally made its way to the App Store, bringing with it yet another option for streaming music on iOS. The free app appears to be optimized for iPhone and iPod touch (though it's also compatible with iPad), and will enable on-the-go jammin' with a $4-per-month Basic subscription over 3G, 4G or WiFi connections. You can pull in tunes from the millions of tracks in Sony's collection, or access songs on your PC using the Music Sync service. The app is currently only available in the New Zealand App Store, but it's expected to hit other Music Unlimited countries soon. For now, you can hit up the source link for the Kiwi App Store preview, or head over to the Music Unlimited site to sign up.

Everyone's favorite VoIP service, Skype, has rolled out a fresh update to its iPhone / iPod Touch and iPad clients. First off, the Microsoft-owned outfit added a revamped login screen to both iOS applications, and now offers the ability to move your vid preview around the screen -- much like FaceTime does. To go along with the new pair of features, Skype's changelog also notes the app will now automatically restart after a sudden crash, while other undisclosed enhancements were made to improve the overall UI, stability and accessibility. Of note, Skype v4 requires folks to be running iOS 4.3 or later. So, those of you keeping that Cupertino OS current can hit either of the iTunes links below to get the goods, or grab it from the App Store on your device.

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app storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppStoredownload limitDownloadLimitiosipadiphoneitunesitunes app storeItunesAppStorelimitminipostWed, 07 Mar 2012 17:29:00 -050021|20188474http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/new-privacy-policy-standards-agreed-to-by-worlds-major-app-stor/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/new-privacy-policy-standards-agreed-to-by-worlds-major-app-stor/http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/new-privacy-policy-standards-agreed-to-by-worlds-major-app-stor/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsThe California Attorney General has struck a deal with the world's major app store operators that will see new privacy policy standards put in place. Apple, Google, Microsoft, HP, RIM and Amazon have all agreed to require any software that uses personal information to provide a privacy policy that can be viewed in the store before an app is downloaded. The agreement will bring the various markets in line with the California Online Privacy Protection Act, which requires developers provide such a policy. In addition to providing links to the relevant documents in an obvious and consistent location, the companies will have to offer a simple way for users to report devs that violate the rules. For more details about the deal check out the PR after the break.

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amazonamazon app storeamazon appsamazon appstoreAmazonAppsAmazonAppStoreandroid marketAndroidMarketapp catalogapp storeapp storesapp worldAppCatalogappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppStoreAppStoresAppWorldblackberry app worldBlackberryAppWorldgooglehewlett-packardHPhp app catalogHpAppCatalogitunes app storeItunesAppStoremicrosoftmobilepostcrossResearch In MotionResearchInMotionrimweboswebOS App CatalogWebosAppCatalogwindows phonewindows phone marketplaceWindowsPhoneWindowsPhoneMarketplaceWed, 22 Feb 2012 18:01:00 -050021|20177586http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/app-downloads-top-1-billion-during-the-holiday-week/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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During the holiday week (by which we mean the seven days between the secularized celebration of a Christian holy day timed to replace a pagan winter festival and the beginning of a new year in the Gregorian calendar) the iTunes App Store and the Android Market combined to reach a record-breaking 1.2 billion downloads according to analytics firm Flurry. The sudden surge in downloads is no shock considering the impressive number of activations on Christmas day, but a 60 percent jump over the week of December 4th through December 17th is still quite a feat. Check out the source for a few more details.

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androidandroid marketAndroidMarketapp storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppStoredownloadsflurrygoogleitunesitunes app storeItunesAppStoremobilepostcrossTue, 03 Jan 2012 14:04:00 -050021|20139397http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/21/iphone-app-downloads-stuttering-in-the-us-but-still-gold-compar/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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At some point, we'll all have to stop binging on discounted apps and start being reflective -- and that's when Distimo's 2011 'App Year in Review' report can serve as a nice digestive. Alongside some predictable trends, such as an impressive 400 percent surge in available Windows Phone apps, it also reveals a few interesting stats about the market leader. iPhone app downloads in the US "have been declining for nearly the entire year," it says, although there was big spike following the launch of the 4S. Regardless of volume, however, top-grossing iPhone apps still made four times as much money as the Android Market's premium performers. By the same measure, even iPad apps on their own generated twice as many dollars. Is this a tale of quality over quantity, or are Android apps simply better value? We'll decide when we're less queasy, and in the meantime there's a fuller summary of the report at the source link -- though you'll have to register to view it.

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2011androidandroid marketAndroidMarketappapp storeapp storesApp year in reviewappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreappsAppStoreAppStoresAppYearInReviewdistimogoogleiosipad app storeIpadAppStoreiphone app storeIphoneAppStoremobilepostcrosswindows phoneWindowsPhoneWed, 21 Dec 2011 08:22:00 -050021|20132675http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/13/microsofts-kinectimals-lands-on-the-app-store-breaks-on-throug/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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Hell's apparently frozen over, pigs are indeed flying and, yes, the gods must be crazy because Microsoft Studios has just released Kinectimals, its Tamagotchi-like "mobile experience" with tiger cubs, to the App Store. The $2.99 app brings the isle of Lemuria directly to your iOS device of choice, letting you nurture these fledgling digital felines, in addition to unlocking a handful of them on a companion Xbox 360 title of the same name. It's not the first time Redmond's made its app wares available to Apple, as both OneNote and My Xbox Live have already hit earlier this month, but it certainly does signal a growing change for MS' attitude towards its mobile competition. If only Steve could see this now.

Looking for a way to stay up to date on your favorite retailers this holiday season without amassing a mountain of soon-to-be trash? Google has announced Catalogs, an app that keeps all of your favorite look books current and in one place. The tablet application is now available for Android slates and the iPad, giving you another option when shopping from the couch. You'll be able to curate product collages that can be shared (we'd presume via Google+) with whomever you see fit. Content is pulled from over 125 brands spanning more than 400 digital catalog issues -- so you should be able to find enough to fill out that wish list. If you're looking to give it a spin, hit the source link below to download the app.

Update: Well folks, while the Google Catalogs app is new for Android, the iPad verson's been around for a couple months now. [Thanks, TUAW]

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androidandroid appandroid applicationandroid marketAndroidAppAndroidApplicationAndroidMarketapp storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppStorecataloggooglegoogle androidgoogle catalogsGoogleAndroidGoogleCatalogsiOSipadipad appipad applicationIpadAppIpadApplicationshoppingMon, 28 Nov 2011 15:27:00 -050021|20115944http://www.engadget.com/2011/11/20/hungry-for-chinese-yuan-apple-now-accepts-currency-for-app-stor/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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Apple made a fundamental change with its payment policy today in China, as the company now accepts the yuan for all purchases made on the App Store. Previously, customers were required to hold dual-currency credit cards -- merely to drop a couple dollars on Jet Car Stunts and the like -- which turned a significant portion of iOS users to the jailbreaking community. The higher-ups in Cupertino hope its newly pronounced love for the yuan will help drive millions of additional app sales while bringing customers back into the company's ecosystem. Currently, 20 Chinese banks are on board with Apple to help facilitate the shift, which certainly shouldn't mind adding a few more yuan to their coffers.

Although the BlackBerry app store may be missing a favorite app or ten, according to a report from Evans Data Corp., developers are still making money by creating apps for the OS. Although the survey feels a bit narrow in scope (just 400 working developers were polled), 13 percent of 'Berry devs said they make $100,000 or more per app -- which according to the data collectors -- is "considerably more than Android or iOS developers." So why isn't everyone dropping what they're doing to develop for RIM's OS? The problems seemed to outweigh the allure of cold, hard cash. 37 percent said app visibility was the biggest issue with the store, while others griped about the approval process and heavy restrictions. Developers were equally unenthusiastic about BlackBerry's future, as only 4.8 percent predicted it would have the top market share two years from now -- 30.2 percent went with Android and 28.4 percent voted Apple's App Store. Check out the full report at the source.

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Androidappapp storeapp worldapple app storeApple iOSAppleAppStoreAppleIosappsAppStoreAppWorldBlackBerrydevelopersevans data corp.evans data corporationEvansDataCorp.EvansDataCorporationmobilepostminiOSphonespollResearch in MotionResearchInMotionRIMsmartphonesstatisticsstatssurveywindows phoneWindowsPhoneMon, 26 Sep 2011 14:19:00 -040021|20066430http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/16/apple-app-store-shifts-minimum-pricing-in-multiple-countries-fo/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/16/apple-app-store-shifts-minimum-pricing-in-multiple-countries-fo/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/16/apple-app-store-shifts-minimum-pricing-in-multiple-countries-fo/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsOh, how the mighty App Store prices have fallen... or risen, depending on which country you reside in. Apple quietly adjusted rates in several international App Stores, dropping the minimum cost in Australia while bumping it up in the UK, Mexico, and Norway. The bottom-line pricing didn't change by leaps and bounds -- the UK rose by £.10, while Oz fell by $.20 -- but these particular shifts have us wondering whether we should expect to see other countries get the switcharoo as well. No official word has been given from Apple on why the changes were made or the reasons behind choosing these particular nations, but this much is assured: we love it, we hate it, and we're indifferent to it.

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appapp priceapp storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppPriceappsAppStoreaustraliaeconomyinternationalinternational app storeInternationalAppStoreiosipadiphoneipod touchIpodTouchmexicominimum priceMinimumPricemobilenorwaypricepricesukSat, 16 Jul 2011 14:20:00 -040021|19992515http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/15/apple-intros-app-store-volume-purchasing-businesses-enthused/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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Got iOS devices deployed across your enterprise? Listen up. Apple's just announced the Volume Purchase Program, enabling businesses to procure applications from the US App Storeen-masse. Upon registering with Cupertino, corporate overlords can then access a web-form to acquire and sling apps to their plebeian employees at will. And for those needing custom corporate-only software? It looks like bespoke B2B applications -- even ones built by third parties -- will soon be distributed via the same mechanism. We're not orchard owners, but them Apples are looking mighty tasty, and it's past BlackBerry season, right?

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app storeapp store volume purchase programappleapple app storeapple iOSAppleAppStoreAppleIosAppStoreAppStoreVolumePurchaseProgrambusinesscorporateenterpriseiosiPadiPhoneiPod touchIpodTouchsoftwaresoftware developmentSoftwareDevelopmentvolume purchase programVolumePurchaseProgramFri, 15 Jul 2011 08:26:00 -040021|19991697http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/07/apples-request-for-preliminary-injunction-denied-amazons-apps/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/07/apples-request-for-preliminary-injunction-denied-amazons-apps/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/07/apples-request-for-preliminary-injunction-denied-amazons-apps/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#commentsRemember when Apple sued Amazon, claiming the online retailer was infringing its "App Store" trademark? To stop Bezos and his boys from using the "Appstore" moniker for their Amazonian Android Market, Apple filed for a preliminary injunction last month, and today the judge denied that request. Despite the Cupertino company's claims of consumer confusion and brand dilution, the court found in Amazon's favor -- in part because the term "app store" is descriptive and is used by plenty of mobile software purveyors. Of course, this doesn't end the legal shenanigans between these two tech titans, but it does mean that Amazon's Appstore can keep its incredibly original name... for now. Want the full breakdown why Apple got a judicial stiff arm? Dig into a copy of the order denying its motion in the source link below.

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amazonamazon appstoreAmazonAppstoreapp storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreAppStorecompetitionlawsuitlegalpreliminary injunctionPreliminaryInjunctionsoftwaretrademarktrademark infringementTrademarkInfringementThu, 07 Jul 2011 06:43:00 -040021|19985104http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/24/lustancias-tapnav-app-takes-your-iphone-for-an-ar-assisted-spin/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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For better or worse, it seems that GPS services are rapidly approaching their mid-life crisis. After rampaging through a host of makeovers (see more: here and here) that would make even the most ADD-popstar dizzy, the phoenix of the navigation industry is now trying its hand at a new augmented mobile reality. Sitting pretty at $2.99 in the App Store, Lustancia's TapNav app swaps the virtual maps for a real-time AR overlay via your iPhone's camera. It's not a killer feature by any means, but if you've ever found yourself wondering just which turn your PND is indicating, then this is for you. Sexy robot-voice assistance and routing stay free, but you'll have to pony up for that turn-by-turn navigation after the sixty day paid trial. Astonishingly brief press release after the break.

Apps which contain DUI checkpoints that are not published by law enforcement agencies, or encourage and enable drunk driving, will be rejected.

That revision comes on the heels of a request from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, asking that Google, Apple, and RIM yank offending apps from their respective mobile outlets. At the time, Google declined while RIM was quick to jump on the bandwagon, leaving Apple to stew. For now, it looks like the rest of us still have to keep our eyes out for Android users with a propensity for boozing and skirting the fuzz.

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appAppleApple appstoreAppleAppstoreappsdrinking and drivingDrinkingAndDrivingdrunk drivingDrunkDrivingduidui checkpointdui checkpoint appDuiCheckpointDuiCheckpointAppharry reidHarryReidiphonesenatesenatorsentaor harry reidSentaorHarryReidThu, 09 Jun 2011 07:48:00 -040021|19962340http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/28/shocker-free-android-apps-outnumber-free-iphone-apps/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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Good news for Android users who hate paying for stuff: according to new numbers from Netherlands-based mobile analytics group Distimo, there are now more free apps available for Google's mobile OS than the iPhone, at 134,342 to 121,845. There are a few things to consider here: first, when one adds free iPad-only apps, the total number of gratis iOS apps increases to a more competitive 132,239. And then there's Apple's sometimes rigorous vetting process, which has probably played a role in its numeric slippage -- after all, this report doesn't highlight things like legality, repetition, or the overall number of apps dedicated to making farting noises. Also, Apple has a lot more premium apps, giving it the overall lead at 333,124 to 206,143 -- but between Android's rapid growth and what the report terms iOS's relative stagnation, Distimo expects Google to take the top spot in five months' time, outnumbering iPhone and iPad apps combined -- a rough scenario for Cupertino to stomach, no doubt, but at least the company will still have Windows Phone to kick around a while longer. [Source link requires registration]

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analyticsAndroidandroid marketAndroidMarketappApp StoreAppleapple app storeAppleAppStoreappsAppStoreDistimofreefree appsFreeAppsGoogleiosipadiphonemobile appsMobileAppsshockerThu, 28 Apr 2011 22:04:00 -040021|19926663http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/21/apple-sues-amazon-for-app-store-trademark-infringement/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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You had to know this was coming. Apple, which is already engaged in a heated battle with Microsoft to prove that it deserves the sole rights over its "App Store" trademark claim, has filed suit against Amazon for "improper use" of the same. Amazon's Android Appstore seems to have been intentionally contracted to a single word to differentiate its name, but that difference isn't enough for Apple, which has asked a California court to grant a ruling preventing Amazon's use of the moniker and asking for unspecified damages. Apple claims it reached out to Amazon on three separate occasions asking it to rename its software download offering, but when faced with the lack of a "substantive response," it decided to take things to court. Its big task remains unchanged -- proving that the term App Store is something more than a generic descriptor -- and this was a somewhat inevitable move given Amazon's choice of name. The legal maneuvering, as always, continues.

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amazonamazon appstoreAmazonAppstoreapp storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreappsAppStorebrandingcompetitiongenericinfringementintellectual propertyIntellectualPropertyiplawlawsuitlawyerslegalnamesoftwarestoreMon, 21 Mar 2011 20:54:00 -040021|19887079http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/02/apple-to-require-in-app-subscriptions-for-periodicals-by-march-3/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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We knew The Daily was to be just the first drop what's destined to be a flood of titles with in-app purchases for the iTunes store, but we weren't quite sure how hard Apple would be twisting the faucet -- until now, that is. According to The Wall Street Journal, Cupertino will reject any newspaper or magazine app that doesn't take subscription payments through the iTunes store. It doesn't have to be solely Apple's store -- developers can still sell through websites in addition to the mandated in-app option. (If you recall, this is the same issue that Sony Reader for iOS just faced.) There are a few big questions lingering out there: will the 70 / 30 revenue sharing apply? Does the "rejection" apply to apps already in the store like Amazon's Kindle? You bet your (virtual) bottom dollar we'll be finding out soon enough.

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app storeappleapple app storeAppleAppStoreapplicationsappsAppStoree booke bookse readere readerse-booke-bookse-readere-readersiosipadiphoneipod touchIpodTouchitunesreaderreader storeReaderStorerejectedrejectionsowall street journalWallStreetJournalwsjWed, 02 Feb 2011 23:05:00 -050021|19826510http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/01/apple-rejects-sony-reader-app-doesnt-want-you-buying-content-f/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget&ncid=rss_semi
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It's been quite a while since Apple's tight reins on the App Store were a subject worth discussing, but they're back in the spotlight now following the company's rejection of Sony's Reader app for iOS. The reasons given to Sony were that Apple will not no longer accept applications that permit in-app purchases of content that don't go through Apple itself, and, moreover, will not tolerate apps that access material purchased through external content stores. So the Sony Reader Store is out -- but wait, doesn't the Kindle app spend its time serving up Kindlebooks? No comment has been offered on the matter from either Apple or Amazon, while Sony's Reader Store page describes the situation as "an impasse" and promises to seek "other avenues to bring the Reader experience to Apple mobile devices." In the mean time, you can get the Reader app for Android or just read your ebooks on a device dedicated to that task.

Update: As noted by Harry McCracken over at Technologizer, it has actually been Apple's longstanding policy to forbid in-app purchases -- the Kindle and Nook apps send you to a browser -- so Sony's desire to do so will have been the major cause for the Reader application's rejection. That doesn't invalidate the second concern expressed in the New York Times article, that Apple will no longer tolerate content brought in from external stores, which is a displeasing development, if true.

Update 2: Looks like McCracken nailed it -- Apple's come out with a statement pointing out that the App Store guidelines require that apps that allow content purchases must also allow them in-app through Apple's official iTunes-backed system. We can't imagine that Sony is thrilled with the idea of cutting Apple in on Reader content, but if they want to play ball, they should be able to score an approval. Notably, Apple says that they are "now requiring" this even though the guidelines haven't changed, suggesting they're just now getting around to enforcing it; the effect on iOS' Kindle and Nook apps isn't yet known, but we wouldn't be surprised if Apple started nudging them in the direction of pushing updates. More on this situation as we have it.